The route of the first edition of La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es, to be held between the 1st and 7th of May, was officially presented by Unipublic this week. The presentation, held at the Torrevieja Auditorium on February 28th, revealed the inaugural seven-stage Tour will depart from Torrevieja, just as the men’s race did back in 2019. The race will visit eight provinces in six autonomous communities, with riders facing one team time trial, three flat stages, one mid-mountain stage and two mountain stages, both of which have high-altitude finishes.
The Costa Blanca will host the first stage; a team time trial with an urban outline. The second stage will also take place in Alicante, between the municipalities of Orihuela and Pilar de la Horadada.
Following the two first days in the Costa Blanca, the peloton will venture into the Province of Albacete. Elche de la Sierra will be the departure point for the race’s longest stage, consisting of 148 kilometres heading towards La Roda.
The peloton of La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es will continue North, connecting two province capitals of Cuenca and Guadalajara in a stage within the Guadalajara municipality that is likely to favour sprinters. The race’s first high-altitude finale takes place on the fifth stage. Following their departure from the Madrid municipality of La Cabrera, the riders will first have to face the ascent of Navafría, before ending on a five kilometre, second category climb up to the Mirador de Riaza.
The North will play an important role during the weekend stages. On Saturday, Cantabria will host the sixth stage between Castro-Urdiales and Laredo. The second category climbs up to Fuente de las Baras and Campo el Hayal, both already present in the eighth edition of the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta, will mark a stage held entirely on Cantabrian territory.
The Grand Finale will take place in Asturias, with a stage that commences in Pola de Siero, before heading to the Principality’s Eastern part in search of the final climb at Lagos de Covadonga. This climb, one of La Vuelta’s most mythical, will be the climax of the first edition of La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es and will take place just a few days after the 40th anniversary of its debut in the Spanish tour on May 2nd 1983.
“To end in such a famous location is essential for the race’s media impact, as it results in more coverage for the event,” said Annemiek van Vleuten, winner of the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta in 2022. “I’m glad La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es has chosen such a well-known climb. I’m excited, I know what to expect, it’s a very tough climb. It’s also good that we have some flat stages, as they also help to make the race very exciting. It’s a very complete Vuelta.”
Spanish Road Cycling Champion, Mavi García added, “I think it’s a varied route, with opportunities for many different riders. It’s true that the general classification will go to the climbers, but the team time trial and the flat stages will provide opportunities for the other riders. I think it’ll be a very complete race.”
La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es is a race with global media coverage, including fifteen TV broadcasters and two hours of daily broadcasting. For the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta 2022, over 800,000 people lined the roads to watch the race and over 58 million people watched it on digital media, according to an audience impact study carried out by Telefónica Tech.
The Costa Blanca has become a training haven and an habitual location for the cycling preseason. “The Costa Blanca will, once again, show its support for cycling and La Vuelta by hosting the Grand Departure of La Vuelta Femenina,” said Fernando Escartín, Director of La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es. “The Costa Blanca has become a very attractive destination for cycling lovers, as well as the ideal setting to launch the first edition of La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es,”
For more information about La Vuelta Femenina by carrefour.es visit: www.lavueltafemenina.es
